


there's a flicker of doubt clouding her eyes (but mine are as clear as day)

by PugsOfHouseTargaryen



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Korrasami - Freeform, Oneshot, Writing practice, most likely a happy ending, tell me if you like it, this fic will explore the different stages of their relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-16
Updated: 2016-01-21
Packaged: 2018-05-13 17:45:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5711365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PugsOfHouseTargaryen/pseuds/PugsOfHouseTargaryen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"Perhaps there could be no joy on this planet without an equal weight of pain to balance it out on an unknown scale,"</i>
</p><p> </p><p>one about two very different girls who learn to provide solace and support and also learn to balance the other, maybe even to the point of hurting themselves in the process</p><p>(AKA an excuse for me to write more Pining Asami)</p><p>*will be changed to Mature once continued</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all!
> 
> It's been a while since I last wrote something due to real life kicking me in the ass but a particular comment in one of my older fics (YBWM) reminded me that HEY YOU GOTTA FINISH THIS
> 
> so here I am, jump starting myself into writing again so I can finish my first two fics 
> 
> I might keep this as a one shot but I've had this idea for a while now so I actually have the whole story down in my head. Just let me know what you think of it and maybe I'll continue where I ended
> 
> Hope you like it!

At the age of eleven, Asami Sato suddenly realized she didn't have a favorite color.

She sat on the roof of the treehouse in her backyard, her legs dangling precariously over the edge, her porcelain skin soaking in the sunlight, long dark hair billowing in the wind as she turned her head to scan her surroundings, her emerald eyes far more inquisitive and observant compared to others of her age.

She supposed her sudden determination to identify her favorite color was superficial, but she couldn't help but wonder when the sky above her painted itself into a spectrum of colors as the sun sank closer to the horizon.

Asami knew she should have headed inside long ago, having heard her father call for her from inside the house. She had shouted out a quick response, letting him know that she had heard him and wanted a few more minutes.

She didn't know why, but something told her to just _wait_.

The 11-year-old's eyes were drawn toward one particular part of the sky, closest to the sun as it's edge just barely touched the horizon. Her father had said that despite the hundreds of sunsets he has seen around the world; none could beat the one they had at home—and as Asami stared up at the deep crimson, she couldn't help but agree.

She decided that she liked the color.

But after contemplating for a moment, she concluded it wasn't the color she was looking for.

Releasing a sigh, her young mind decided she wasn't giving up the search. Her eyes continued to study each color as it blended into another for several minutes when she heard a snap of a twig below her. Particularly one that sounded like it snapped under a shoe.

She figured her father had come out to the backyard to call Asami back and despite the nagging in her chest telling her to stay, she knew better than to take advantage of her father's patience.

She opened her mouth to let him know she was coming down, but caught herself just before she let the words spill from her lips when her eyes adjusted slightly to the darkness below her.

From where she was sitting, Asami couldn't see much due to the fact that it seemed pitch black below her,

But her eyes did register a patch of dark hair.

She knew it wasn't her father down there. In fact, she didn't think it was anyone she knew.

Despite her mind trying to convince her that everything was fine, her body told her to flee, to run—anything to get away from the danger she _knew_ wasn't really there.

But she also knew she was too helpless to stop it.

Her eyes widened as fear gripped her heart tightly in her chest and slowly crawled through her veins. She knew that her fear was irrational because no one could enter their property due to their high security, but that didn't stop her palms from sweating and her blood from pounding in her ears.

Flashes of _that_ night appeared before her eyes and she couldn't stop the rattling of her lungs as she desperately gasped for air, all the while staring below with unseeing eyes, frozen in fear.

Suddenly, Asami was not sitting by the edge of the rooftop, but crouched in the corner of her mother's closet, her breaths coming in shallow puffs as she tried to remain silent, eyes never leaving the sliver of light coming from the crack under the closet door.

She heard it coming before she saw it. She squeezed her eyes shut as she registered the unfamiliar, heavy footsteps against the hardwood floor of her parents' bedroom, subconsciously committing it to memory as the sound of their approach resonated in her ears. She  _felt_ them standing in front of the door, their shadow climbing through the crack under it, reaching for her as if to grab her. Sudden brightness turned the back of her eyelids red, what sounded like joints cracking as they crouched down in front of her, their breath brushing her eyelashes as they slowly pulled closer,

"Hey there, kid,"

Asami's eyes snapped open when she didn't hear the low, booming voice that haunted her like a ghost during sleepless nights, but instead an unfamiliar—yet oddly pleasant—voice beside her.

Slow to react as she was still held captive by her own mind, Asami jerked away when she registered the sudden presence beside her and a small hand lightly resting on her arm.

Reacting in that manner was probably not the best idea the 11-year-old came up with, considering how she nearly fell off the roof—at least until the light grip on her arm turned surprisingly firm to keep her from tumbling over the edge.

"Woah there, kid, exit's the other way," the unfamiliar voice said as Asami was pulled back to where she originally was, another hand coming to rest on her shoulder to keep her steady.

Despite not knowing who the person beside her was, Asami was grateful for their presence. Not only would she have fallen and broken more than a few things, but she also needed someone to stay with her at that moment. A stranger, yes, but she wasn't in any state to be picky.

Especially since said stranger practically saved her life. 

In an attempt to regain control, Asami shut her eyes as she breathed in deeply through her nose and let the air escape her lips, trying to clear her thoughts and calm her heart. She has been through this too many times for her not to know what to do when it happens. She tried to still her trembling hands as another pair of hands ran up and down her arms, soothing the goosebumps caused by the simultaneous chills and hot flashes running through her body.

It was odd, really. She was taking comfort from someone she'd never met before and this girl—the voice had hinted at least that in regards to the stranger's identity—acted like the two of them have done this before and knew exactly what to do.

Asami wasn't one to complain.

Once her breath was somewhat back to normal and her heart was beating at an acceptable rate did the 11-year-old open her eyes. The sun had set halfway, painting the sky redder than it was a few minutes ago, traces of blue and purple still streaking across the sky.

The view and the comforting hands—that hadn't once left her—was enough to pull her back into the present and slowly, push the bad memories away to the back of her mind.

Silence enveloped them long enough for the stranger to settle beside Asami, mimicking her position as her feet dangled of the edge of the roof—but oddly enough, Asami didn't find the silence awkward or suffocating. There was something about the girl that made Asami feel safe.

Asami was curious as to who this girl was but she was far too spent that her tiredness overpowered her curiosity, but that didn't stop her from sneaking a few glances at the stranger from the corner of her eye every once in a while.

They watched the sun sink lower for a little longer, nothing but the sound of their breathing in the space between them. Asami knew that the silence wouldn't last long, because no matter how much she felt at peace, time always did _the thing_ because it's definitely not in anyone's favor.

So she didn't know why she was so surprised when the stranger suddenly spoke up, startling Asami so much that she had to ask the girl to repeat herself.

"What's your favorite color?" the person beside her had said, making Asami blink—recalling that she was wondering the same thing herself earlier—as she turned her head to address the girl beside her, finally putting a face to the voice.

The stranger wasn't looking at her, staring at the sunset instead—so Asami decided to satisfy her curiosity and took the opportunity to study the girl's profile.

Asami was surprised to find that they're ages couldn't be too far apart. The girl had straight dark hair, pulled back into a messy ponytail. The red of the sky reflected off her skin, making her dark skin look even deeper as it absorbed the light around them. Her arms seemed built yet remained thin but Asami didn't— _couldn't_ —forget that those same arms kept her from falling off the roof, the same hands that held her and made her feel safe.

_She looks strong and dependable,_ Asami thought.

She studied the girl a little closer, seeing that she was covered in little scratches and scars,

_and maybe a little reckless,_ she added to herself.

Asami shook her head and turned back to the sinking sunset when she realized that she was probably staring for far too long. A blush crept up to her cheeks when she realized the girl probably noticed as well but chose to say nothing.

In order to save herself from further embarrassment, Asami wracked her brain as she tried to recall the girl's question and silently thanked whatever god was listening when she did remember.

"I was just thinking about that actually," she replied smoothly, or at least she hoped, "You know, just before you scared the living bejeezus outta me," 

From the corner of her eye, Asami saw the sun glint off of the girl's teeth as she grinned, causing Asami to let a small smile grace her face as well.

She was probably going to stay up all night thanking the god who gave her such luck because no, she was not going to admit she was staring and there was no way she was going to start a cult at the age of eleven. So yeah, praying would do.

"I plead guilty," the stranger said jokingly, widening the smile on Asami's face, "But it's not my fault you seem to enjoy the thrill of dangling off the roof like this,"

Asami nodded contemplatively, pretending to consider her point, "True," she said before giving the girl beside her a clever look, "But I'm not the one who seems to have the habit of sneaking up on people,"

The stranger laughed; a hearty, sincere laugh that seemed to make everything seem brighter, as if making sure that the smile on Asami's face stayed there permanently, "Touché,"

The same comfortable silence was between them again and Asami didn't mind one bit.

Asami cocked her head to the side as she stared ahead into the disappearing sun, “I think I like the color red.”

The stranger laughed again, Asami realized she loved the sound so much that she wouldn't mind hearing it every minute of every day— _which_ she realized was more than kinda creepy considering they just met, “Are you saying that because that seems to be the only color around us right now?”

Asami rolled her eyes and punched the other girl’s arm lightly, as if they've known each other for years, “No, you butt.” she snorted, “There's just something about it, but I don't think that's my final answer,” she paused, "How about you?"

The stranger looked up at the sky above them, raising her hand to point at a specific part of it, “You see that portion of the sky beside the cloud?”

Asami looked up and nodded, despite the fact that the other girl probably couldn't see her. She studied the particular shade of blue the girl was pointing at and Asami admitted to herself that it was a pleasant color to look at, but she for some reason she thinks it's the wrong shade of blue.

As they silently watched the sky fade into darkness, Asami realized she's never felt more comfortable in her life, looking up at the stars that slowly began to appear in small clusters across the black of the sky.

“I think red suits you,” the stranger said nonchalantly, breaking the silence.

Asami turned and raised an eyebrow at her newfound companion, “And why is that?”

The girl shrugged, suddenly focused on a fraying shoelace as she picked at it, “Red is warm, passionate, full of emotion. Fiery,” she turned her head so she was studying the dark haired girl beside her, “I don't know you very well but I think you fit all of those,”

Asami felt her heart jump in her chest at the statement, said simply like it was a well known fact, or the girl really believed that about Asami.

Asami would be lying if she said she didn't feel warm under the other girl’s honest gaze.

She opened her mouth to say something in return despite the fact that she had no idea what to say when she was interrupted by her father calling from inside the house, “Come on inside, Asami!”

Asami cringed when she realized she had completely forgotten about her father and how late it was. Time did the thing again. 

Resisting the urge to face palm herself, she turned toward the house and called back, “Coming dad!”

When she faced the new girl again, she wasn't all that surprised to find eyes staring back at her. They silently studied each other, as if committing the other to memory, without having to deal with the awkwardness Asami usually felt when she was meeting someone for the first time. For some reason, they skipped all the pleasantries and made Asami feel like they've been friends their whole lives.

A car drove by on the road beside the backyard, it's headlights illuminating the darkness that surrounded them for a moment and Asami's breath caught in her throat.

In that split second, Asami caught a glimpse of the brilliant sapphire eyes staring into her own, their brightness earlier dimmed by the lack of light due to the night sky above them. 

Asami realized why the color the stranger pointed at earlier felt lacking, why she felt it wasn't the right shade of blue.

It hadn't occurred to her that the shade she was looking for was right in front of her.

_She's beautiful,_ Asami mused, startling herself with the sudden thought.

The stranger's eyes widened in surprise for a second that Asami had to wonder if she had accidentally said it out loud.

Not for the first time that night, she resisted to face palm herself when she averted her embarrassingly concentrated gaze on the stranger as she felt a deep blush rise up to her cheeks.

_Pull it together, Asami,_ she chastised herself as she shook her head lightly, reassembling the cogs in her head that somehow jumbled up upon a flash of blue eyes, "My father's calling me back," she stated dumbly.

"Yeah, I heard," the stranger retorted sarcastically beside her and when Asami snapped her head to the side to find the surprise on the girl's face replaced with a smirk, she hadn't realized that her blush could get any deeper.

"Smartass," Asami coughed to herself, but judging by the sudden burst of laughter beside her, it wasn't unheard.

"I aim to please," a flash of white in the darkness told Asami she was being smirked at _again._

Refusing to be anymore flustered than she already was, she turned away instead of answering as she picked herself up to carefully scale the roof and climb down the ladder, glancing back every once in a while to check if the girl was following. Asami didn't need another car to pass by to notice the other girl's shoulders shaking in quiet laughter.

Asami rolled her eyes but she couldn't stop the small smile that reached her lips as they climbed down the treehouse.

She carefully lowered herself down onto the stable ground once she reached the last step, but her companion all but jumped once she reached a good 5 feet above the ground.

Asami wasn't wrong when she assumed the girl was reckless.

They walked the few feet that led to Asami's back door in silence and despite the short distance, Asami couldn't help but notice that the girl oozed confidence with every step she took, which was oddly funny considering how Asami tried to make herself as small as possible at any given situation. 

_Talk about opposites,_ she mused to herself.

But she didn't consider it a bad thing, in fact, she liked it.

They stood in front of the door, the light coming inside her home peeking through the window, basking them in a soft light. Although somewhat dim, it was brighter than it was in the treehouse and it all but brought Asami's focus back on the stranger's eyes. Asami tried to focus on something else.

_She's taller than me,_ Asami registered somewhere at the back of her head before she miserably failed to distract herself as she once again focused on the sapphires she found so alluring.

"Are you waiting for a goodbye kiss, short stuff?" the same smirk flashed at Asami again, brighter under the better lighting.

_Of course she'd compare our height,_ Asami thought with a good-natured roll of her eyes, and judging how the smirk transformed into a lopsided grin, she realized the girl was only teasing.

Only then did her mind fully register the other half of the girl's sentence and just before _another_ blush had the chance to reach her cheeks, she turned away and stalked towards her door.

"Nice meeting you too, neighbor," came the sarcastic retort from behind her and made Asami stop in her tracks.

_Neighbor?_  

She distinctly remembered her father mentioning over dinner that a family was moving in to the house beside theirs. Asami would be fooling herself if she said she wasn't giddy at the thought of seeing the girl again.

She slowly turned on her heel to face her new neighbor, "I never caught your name," 

The girl crossed her arms across her chest, the smirk that seemed to appear at every possible opportunity back on her face, "How do I know I can trust you?"

Asami mimicked her, crossing her arms over her chest, raising her eyebrow as if to challenge the other girl, "I'm not the one who trespasses into other people's homes at night," she stated plainly.

The girl cocked her head to the side before breaking out into a full grin, "Korra," she said as she stuck out her hand.

Asami merely looked down at the hand before turning around with a small flip of her hair, her hand already resting on the doorknob. It didn't take long for the other girl to react, much to Asami's amusement.

"H-hey!" Korra sputtered, "I don't know your name!" she called after her as Asami gave herself a figurative pat on the back for breaking the girl's confident facade.

Asami pretended not to hear, taking her time twisting the doorknob in her grasp, finding herself anticipating the gir— _Korra's,_  she corrected herself—impatient outburst.

Like she predicted, her silence only seemed to annoy Korra even more, judging by the audible angry huff, "It's not like I wanted to know your name anyway," Korra muttered to herself. 

Asami's secret smile turned into a full grin. She left her hand resting on the door as if to push it open before looking over her shoulder and at her neighbor.

The pout Korra had on her face shouldn't be as cute as it was, but it made Asami give in all the more, "It's Asami," she relented.

Satisfaction slowly became evident in the taller girl's face as her pout transformed into the now familiar lopsided grin, right before it turned to the _even more_ familiar smirk, "Did you say Salami?"

Asami rolled her eyes for umpteenth time that night, but she couldn't find it in herself to actually be mad, " _Goodnight, Korra,_ " she said over her shoulder before slipping past the door.

Just as she was about to close the door, she peeked through the crack to see Korra's eyes flashing back at her as she gave her a genuine smile, "Night, Asami," she said.

The moment the door was shut between them, Asami quickly turned on her heel and bolted to her room, barely pausing to greet her father as she raced past him climbing up the stairs.

Once her bedroom door was closed behind her, she immediately ran to her window and pulled the curtains aside, revealing the same night sky she was under just a few minutes ago. 

She looked down and there she was, exactly where she had left her. Almost the same moment Asami rested her eyes upon her new friend, Korra looked up and met her gaze—as if her eyes were magnetically drawn toward the other's.

Asami lifted her hand and gave Korra a small wave, to which the girl responded with the same grin Asami realized she was starting to love, before turning around and running toward her home. 

Soon Korra jumped over the fence and out of her property, but Asami didn't stop staring at the direction Korra ran toward until she couldn't see anything but darkness.

Something told her that this wouldn't be the last time they would see each other, but Asami couldn't help but pray to that same god for it to happen, just to make sure it did.

She moved away from her window, absentmindedly shutting the curtains before falling back on her bed. She grabbed a pillow from the other side of the bed, it's smooth material a nice shade of blue but not the _right_ shade of blue.

She hugged it as tight as she could as her mind replayed the night's events, from the red of the setting sun to the blue of Korra's eyes. The brilliant sapphire orbs that always seemed to meet her own.

At the age of eleven, Asami Sato decided she had a favorite color. 

And it was the perfect shade of blue. 


	2. Announcement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> guess I'm continuing this story haha woo

hey guys! 

Thank you for all your feedback on this little fic of mine! I honestly thought I'd get like 10 likes at most but wow, thank you!

I asked you guys if you wanted me to continue this and you guys answered and I plan to deliver!

I will be continuing this story but WARNING, the first chapter may be fluff, but that doesn't mean the whole story will be. Itll be a mix of both angst and fluff. 

It will include some rather adult things so the rating of this fic will be changed to MATURE.

And since I'll be continuing this, I've decided to change the fic's title to something more appropriate to the story I have in mind. 

When I release the next update, this fic will no longer be called  _there's a flicker of doubt clouding her eyes (but mine are as clear as day)_

I'll be using a line from the song I'll be basing this fic on and it'll be called _**Covered in the Colors—Pulled Apart at the Seams**_

Yep, if you know the song _Colors_ by Halsey, you'll have an idea on how angsty this story will be : >

Once again, thank you for all your feedback and don't forget I'll be changing the title! 

Hope you stick around! :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> check out my tumblr at pugsofhousetargaryen.tumblr.com for updates and anything korrasami along with my other ships :)

**Author's Note:**

> Like I said earlier, let me know if you want me to continue this! (I'd love to because I do love me some pining Asami)
> 
> it's been almost six months since I last posted something, so saying I'm a "little" rusty would be a huge understatement 
> 
> As always, let me know what you think! Any form of feedback (kudos, comments and bookmarks) is greatly appreciated! It's what keeps me going haha
> 
> Hope you liked it! (btw the title will only make sense if I continue this story)
> 
> you can also follow me on tumblr (http://pugsofhousetargaryen.tumblr.com) for anything Korrasami along with my other well loved ships! Feel free to message me!


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